Neighboring Counties

Resources

Resources (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Bible Records

Resources(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Biography

Resources(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Cemeteries(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Census

The 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 U.S. federal population schedules of Summit County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Utah Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in national indexes, try checking local indexes. Created by experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than nationwide indexes.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons)

Historically, most people in Utah were Latter-day Saints. Their records are, therefore, very important for early Utah research. For additional information, see Tracing LDS Ancestors and Utah Church Records.

Click a church unit name in the chart below for its history, boundaries, and availability of records, which are often in microfilm format

Court Records

Court Records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Directories

Directories (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Gazetteers

Genealogy

Genealogy(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

History

The county is so named because it includes 39 of the highest mountain peaks in Utah. Its mean elevation is 8,388 feet (2,557 m) above sea level, which is the second-highest of any county outside of Colorado.

History(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

History Timeline

1850. A Mormon pioneer, Parley P. Pratt, was sent to this valley from Salt Lake City by Brigham Young to check on the possibility of establishing settlements along the Weber River and the nearby Provo River. His report was, ". . . a good valley, abundant grass and plenty of water".

1853. The first white man to winter in Oakley, was Thomas Rhodes. An explorer, trapper, prospector, part-time farmer, and close friend of Brigham Young, he was occasionally called from his California prospecting by Brigham Young when there was a need for money for the church. Rhodes would disappear for a week or so into the Uinta Mountains and return with a supply of gold.

1854. January 13 - Summit County was created from Salt Lake County and Green River district (old) which extended into what is now southwest portion of Wyoming at the time.

1854/1858. In 1854 the territorial government in Utah offered a $1000 reward to anyone who could find coal within 40 miles of Salt Lake City. Four years later, Thomas Rhodes found a coal vein in the Chalk Creek area, and coal mining began in earnest. Hundreds of tons of coal were shipped to Salt Lake City, and soon a narrow gauge railroad was built. The settlement was renamed Coalville as a result of this early success mining coal.

1859. Coalville was founded by William Henderson Smith, an early Mormon freighter. He noticed that wheat spilled by other wagons moving through the area would grow to maturity. He subsequently convinced four families to settle in the area with him. The settlement was originally called Chalk Creek.

1868. The first settlers in Oakley were William Stevens and wife, Emma Crowden Stevens. Soon to follow were relatives and friends, among them the Fraziers, Hortins, Richards, Wildes and Gibbons, to name a few; all these names are still prominent in the town.

1880's. Oakley's land was originally purchased from the Union Pacific Company by the early settlers in the land sale of the 1880s.

1886/1887. Oakley's original name was "Oak Creek", derived from the name of a creek that ran just east of the present town site and that was thickly overgrown with oak trees. The town changed its name to "Oakley" in late 1886 or early 1887; the new name was chosen from many names submitted by the settlers in a contest.

Land and Property

Utah, State Archives a collection digitized by FamilySearch (free), includes land claim records, 1871-1878.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

Small town newspapers contain obituaries, birth or death notices, community news (such as the visit of someone's relatives), legal notices and provide historical content. See Utah newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

Utah Digital Newspapers Project presents newspaper images online. Search All Newspapers by name or keywords, or Browse by County to view all newspapers digitized for Summit County, Utah Genealogy.

Newspapers(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Obituaries

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, and living family members. See Utah Obituaries for state level compendiums and United States Obituaries for tips and insights regarding this record type.

Periodicals

Newspapers(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

In Utah, such records may be difficult to find. Try records of the church they may have attended. Realize, however, that such records may have not been preserved, and would not be in the typical records of membership.

It is possible there were records kept by civilian authorities. Ask town or county officials and local librarians and the State Archives. Also try National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (online).

Probate Records

Newspapers(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Public Records

Newspapers(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Family History Centers

Libraries

Resource(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Societies

Taxation

Newspapers(microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Vital Records

Vital Records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see public libraries.

Birth

Below are the best sources to find birth information (dates and places of birth and names of parents) for Summit County, Utah Genealogy. Also available: How to Find Birth Information in Utah.

Follow the suggestions under the year span that matches when your ancestor was born:

Before 1854

Summit County, Utah Genealogy was formed on 13 January 1854.

If your records show the person was born here before the county was formed, search parent counties

Before county formation, go to Utah Censuses to locate the family around the time of birth.

1854-1892

No birth records were created for Summit County, Utah Genealogy by either by county or state civil authorities in this time period.

Follow these suggestions to find birth information for this time period:

Utah Death Certificates 1904-1961 give birth date and place (recorded at the time of death), names of parents, and name of spouse. Search by names or by exact death date.

Church records usually give birth date and place and names of parents.

See also neighboring counties for birth information, due to family members living in that area, religious preferences, convenience, and other reasons.

1892-present

County clerks became responsible for recording births beginning in 1898. In 1905, the State Department of Health assumed responsibility and required the counties to forward copies of the records to them.

It took a few years after the requirements for people, doctors, midwives, and officials to comply, so some early birth registrations were missed.

Records open to the public

Birth records created more than 100 years agoState Department of Health Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates page. are open to the public.

1892-1897 Park City birth register inventory of series 85147 by the City Recorder at Utah State Archives. Not online, no index.

Marriage

Death

Utah Death Certificates 1904 - 1956 -A free internet access to the 1904-1956 death certificates can be viewed on the https://www.familysearch.org/ . Utah requires a death certificate before a burial is completed. A death certificate may contain information as to the name of the deceased, date of death, and place of death, as well as the age, birthdate, parents, gender, marital status, spouse and place of residence.